North And South Korea Trade Blame Over Border Firing Incidents

Rivals North Korea and South Korea are trading blame for a new rise in tensions along their disputed Yellow Sea maritime border.

South Korean officials said North Korean forces fired shells on August 10 near the sea border, and that South Korean forces fired shells in response.

On August 11, North Korea rejected the South's version of events, saying explosions from the North Korean side were only blasts at a construction site.

The South, in turn, has rejected the North's version. There were no reports of casualties from any of the incidents.

The U.S. State Department has urged both sides to move on, saying the situation is now over. It has also been urging communist-ruled North Korea to take steps toward the resumption of six-country talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament.